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4000 E.
Collins Rd. “Preaching
the Living Word through the Written Word (2Tim 4:2)” |
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THE GRACE
AND FAVOR OF GOD (Rom 8:30-34) 3/30/08 Grace Bible Church, Gillette, Wyoming Pastor I.
GOD’S SOVEREIGN
WILL IS FROM BEGINNING TO END (30) A.
In speaking of
God’s sovereign will, Paul reveals just how sovereign God is. Paul teaches,
in what is sometimes called, “the Golden Chain,” that God is sovereign in His
redemptive plan from beginning to end. B.
Paul’s
description really begins in vs. 29 when he says, “those whom He foreknew.”
So those with whom God entered into a relationship (“foreknew”) He
predestined. C.
Here predestination
(vs. 30), though it encompasses the conformity to Christ, would refer to
God’s foreordination with respect to salvation. In other words, God ordains
whoever He has chosen (Ac 13:48; Ep 1:4). D.
Logically, if
God foreordained the elect, then He would carry out His own foreordained
plan. Thus, those He predestined, He also called. Here the calling (kaléō) of God does not refer to a general call to all
men, but the efficacious call to the elect (Ro 1:6; 1Co 1:9, 24; 2Pe 1:3).
This means when God draws and calls the elect, they will come (Jn 6:37 cp.
6:44). E.
We know that
those who are called will come, because God says that they will be
“justified.” Justification is the theme of the book of Romans. Justification
means to be declared righteous with Christ’s righteousness. This is in
response to faith in Christ’s death on the cross (Ro 4:25). It is clear from
this passage that those who have been predestined will exercise their faith
and be justified. F.
The Golden
Chain reveals even more. Those who are justified will also be glorified. Salvation
is secure because a sovereign God made it secure. The believer’s salvation is
so secure that God uses the past tense for “glorified.” In the aorist tense, the
believer’s glorification has already taken place in God’s mind. Using a sorites (a series of logical connections), Paul teaches
that God is so sovereign that those whom He “foreknew,” He ultimately
“glorified.” II.
GOD’S SOVEREIGN
GRACE IS IRREVOCABLE (31-34) A.
God’s Favor is upon
the Believer (31) 1. Paul now responds to what has been taught in Ro
8:1-30. He asks, “What should we assert (future
active indicative - légō - speak or declare) about all that has been taught so far?” 2. A first class condition (“if” - “ei” & the indicative) is
used in the phrase, “If God is for us….” The first class condition is the
simple condition of fact. It is generally assumed true. In a case that it is
clearly true, it can be translated with the word, “since.” Therefore, this
phrase could be translated, “Since God is for us, who is
against us?” or “If God is for us (and He is)….” 3. The point is that God is for the believer. The
believer has obtained the Lord’s favor through Christ. Paul has already
taught us in Romans that the believer: a) Has been justified (Ro 5:1) b) Has peace with God (Ro 5:1) c) Has obtained grace (Ro 5:2) d) Has been saved from wrath (Ro 5:9) e) Has been reconciled (Ro 5:10) f)
Has been
removed from Adam (Ro 5:20) g) Has been placed “in Christ” (Ro 8:1) h) Has died to sin but is alive to God (Ro 6:11) i)
Has no
condemnation (Ro 8:1) j)
Has received
the Spirit of Life (Ro 8:2) k) Has been made a son and co-heir with Christ (Ro
8:17) 4. If God accomplished all these things on the
believer’s behalf through Christ, then it is certainly safe to say that God
is for us. 5. Here the word “for” (hupér - with genitive) means “in behalf of,” that is, in the sense of
protection and provision. To say, “God is for us” is to say that God’s favor,
provision, and protection is upon His child. 6. The conclusion is that no one can be against us, not
human being, or spiritual being. In order for anyone to come against the
believer, he must come against God first. This is not to say that God will
not allow certain things to happen to the believer, but the point is that
nothing can happened to the believer that does not first pass through His
loving sovereign hands. B.
God’s Grace is Abundant
to the Believer (32) 1. If the believers at Rome did not fully comprehend
God’s abundant grace toward them, then Paul has more to share. 2. The argument is based on what God is willing to give
for the believer. God was willing to give His Son on the cross. The Son is
God Himself, the second Person of the Godhead. God sacrificed Himself in the
Person of the Son. In that sense, God gave everything. 3. Furthermore, the Scriptures reveal that the Father
loved the Son (Mt 3:17; 17:5 cp. 2Pe 1:17; Jn 3:35; 5:20; 17:26). Therefore,
God sacrificed that which was most precious to Him. 4. This a
fortiori (greater to lesser) argument follows that if God did not spare (pheídomai - withhold or hold back) His Son, but “handed (Him) over” (“delivered” - paradídōmi) for the believer, then why would He hold anything
back? 5. In fact, our heavenly Father graciously and freely
gives (charizomai - show favor, show grace, give freely) believers all things in Christ. The things that the Father gives
are greater than any earthly blessing. They are heavenly spiritual blessings
(Ep 1:3), everything needed for godliness (2Pe 1:3), and the inheritance of
God (Ro 8:17). C.
God’s Grace Has
Removed Condemnation from the Believer (33-34) 1. God’s grace is reiterated with two rhetorical
questions. In the first one (33), the question is asked, “Who will bring a
charge against God’s elect?” a) In other words, who is going to bring an accusation
or legal complaint that will bring God’s wrath on the believer? b) It could not be God because He is the one who
justified the believer. Literally, He is the one who continues to justify (ho dikaiṓn).
Our message of hope is also for those who have yet to be justified by
believing on Christ. 2. The second rhetorical question is, “Who is the one
who condemns the believer (34)? a) Who is going to pronounce a sentence and bring down judgment
(katakrínō) upon
the believer? b) It could not be Christ because He is the one who
died on the cross to take our sentence and punishment (Isa 53:10; Ga 3:13; 1Pe 2:24 cp. Ro 8:1). Furthermore Christ was
raised from the dead as proof of our redemption and justification (Ro 4:25).
Further still, He is the believer’s Advocate at the right hand of God (1Jn
2:1). c) In addition to all this, Christ is interceding on
behalf of the believer. The Scriptures tell us that both the Holy Spirit (Ro
8:27) and Christ are interceding for believers. III.
OBSERVATIONS
AND APPLICATIONS A.
Take the
message of God’s sovereignty to your life. 1. God is in complete control of everything that
happens in the believer’s life including glorification. 2. Therefore, believers have no reason to complain
about people and situations in their lives. B.
Take the
message of God’s favor to your heart. 1. God has bestowed His irrevocable favor on the
believer. 2. Therefore, believers have no reason to become
dejected or discouraged. After all, the Spirit and the Son are praying for
you C.
Take the
message of God’s grace to your world. 1. God has given all things to the believer in Christ
for this life and the next. 2. Therefore, believers have no reason to become fearful
or selfish with the Gospel. |
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